January 15, 2009: On the 80th birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., about 17-18 activists gathered in front of the downtown L.A. Federal Building to protest the offensive against Gaza.

The speakers, all of whom spoke passionately and eloquently, included John Parker of the International Action Center, Hank Jones of the San Francisco Eight, Dedon Kamathi of KPFK's Freedom Now (http://kpfk.org/programs/100-freedom-now.html), and Margaret Prescod of KPFK's Sojourner Truth and part of the weekly vigil for kidnapped Haitian activist Lovinsky Pierre-Anoine. (See: http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/05/217447.php. This vigil went on hiatus this week to support the victims in Gaza, as did its sister vigil in London.)

During the speeches, it was noted that world opinion is against Israel's attack on Gaza—except here in the U.S., thanks in large part to our infotainment which passes as news.

It was also said that Israel, in addition to occupying Palestine, also occupies the U.S. Congress.

Also, this event was characterized as an important show of solidarity by African Americans for the Palestinians. The speakers underscored a need for people in the black diaspora to become concerned about people of color around the world, including Gaza--rather than just worrying being Americans. These speeches were the most intense and moving I had witnessed in a long time.

The event piqued the interest of passersby, several of whom stopped to read/take our literature.

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